Breakdown
by Beautiful Dreamer1
Summary: AU. Assigned into a school for troubled kids, can they be the lifelines that will prevent each other from going insane or are they just speeding up the inevitable? (Shounen-ai)


Story title: Breakdown

Chapter title: Institutionalized

Summary: Alternate Universe. Assigned into a school for troubled kids, can they be the lifelines that will prevent each other from going insane or are they just speeding up the inevitable?

Warnings: R for violence, cussing, and Shounen-ai (NaruSasu and hints of Uchihacest)

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"_A long time ago, they used to believe that within a beautiful person dwells an evil heart. In secret, and then cold-heartedly, the tragedy happens night after night."_ Tsuki no nai Yoru, Satou Akemi

* * *

Each night before Sasuke went to sleep, he would wonder, and then he would wish. He would lie in bed at night wondering despairingly, 'what was the matter with him?' Then, he would try to remember the teaching of his family that pride, prestige, and perfection were the only things that he needed to be concerned. Moreover, he didn't belong in this asylum filled with freaks. 

As his eyelids grew heavier, Sasuke wished to anything listening for him to be released from the institution, but each morning his wish remained unfilled. Reality of his situation usually hit him when he hears the floor nurse's voice. Sasuke cracked his eyes to see the chirper woman that invaded his room every morning. She set her tray of pills on the clean dresser and started picking out Sasuke's medication.

"I heard that you're going to get a roommate this afternoon. You must be excited." The nurse spoke cheerfully to her ward. Silently, the twelve-year-old boy hoped to block the gibberish that she spouted each time she looked in on him with his pillow to his ear. However, the information about a roommate was new to him. Sasuke had a strong distaste for anyone's company, but most of all his own.

"Wake-up sleepy head… It's time for your medicine." The nurse spoke in a babyish voice, which made the young man cringe. Many of the staff walked on eggshells around their patients at this hospital. Some undermine a patient's confidence. They believed the patient couldn't recognize what's good for them and will mentally snap someday soon if they weren't handled with kid gloves.

The nurse held two small plastic cups; one with the pills and the other had water. Reluctantly, Sasuke grabbed what he was offered and eyed the yellowish tablets. Taken medicine never sat well with him especially the ones that made feel dazed and nauseous.Cautiously, Sasuke slipped the pill under his tongue while allowing the water to slide down his throat.

"That's a good boy. You've fifteen minutes before your session with Kakashi-sensi." The nurse smiled as she took the cup away from him and threw it into the wastebasket. Sasuke just gave the woman a cold glare until she left the room. Once, the nurse's foot steps faded down the next hall, Sasuke went to the opened window and threw out the medicine.After disposing of the pills, Sasuke was in no hurry of seeing Kakashi-sensei mainly since the man was always late.

* * *

Outside, Kakashi wondered around the grounds of the establishment with his favorite book in hand. A white scarf covered his face even though the weather was warming up. His scarf flipped in the wind as it covered the frown on his face at seeing patient tossing more of his medication out the window. Kakashi lazily walked over to the side of building and saw about a week worth of pills, littered on the ground. Kakashi let out a quiet sigh; he never believed that this much trouble from this job.

When Kakashi started practicing at the Konoha-School, an institution for troubled children, he felt the troubles of kids weren't as difficult as the problems adults had to face. The only reason he accepted this job was that the head director of the psychologist association asked him personally for this favor. The old man had been very kind to him when he started his profession and got him used to hospital regulations. In addition, the money and the benefits of the job was a gigantic jump from what he was getting as military psychiatrist.

It amazed the silver haired doctor that new position paid more than his previous occupation. Why children's problems were more important than military personnel were? From the wars nine years ago, they'd went through combat training with comrades and then lost them on the battlefield, and then there are the regular stresses of military and personal struggles. However, when Kakashi worked with his patients, he began to realize that a few of these kids problem were, perhaps, worse than his could ever be. At this point, he matured a little with the growing understanding that others needed him. These were children of war, and the aftermath of the newly formed society, they had created.

Scratching his head, Kakashi began to take the long way to his office; by the time he would get there, Sasuke would surely be there waiting.

"Sorry, I'm late. There was an elephant sitting on top my roof and I…" Before Kakashi could finish, Sasuke cut him off abruptly.

"I don't care to hear any of your lame excuses. Let's get this succession over with." Sasuke spoke as he slouched more into the leather chair.

"I've noticed that you aren't taken your medicine for a while now." Kakashi statement made Sasuke tighten his lips. "Is there a reason why you aren't taken them?"

"There's nothing wrong with me and a person shouldn't take medicine when it's not needed." Sasuke simple replied.

"That is not your decision to make. However, I'll see how you'll do without it. Well, is there something particular you want to discuss?"

"There isn't anything to talk except…' Kakashi quirked an eyebrow, thinking Sasuke was about to open up, 'why you haven't told me about getting a roommate."

"Oh, it must have slipped my mind." Kakashi's anticipation faded but he thought the boy would ask that question tomorrow, after he met his roommate. "Does it upset you that a person will be sharing your room?"

"As long as he is out of my way, I don't mind. If that's all we have to talk about then I'm leaving." Sasuke remove himself out of the chair. Without waiting for permission, he left the room.

Kakashi released his second sigh of the day. It was another failed session with Sasuke. It was hard for anything to progress if Kakashi didn't know the kid's problem. There wasn't much in Sasuke's case file, which lacked his last name, family history, and a candid reason on why he was here. Sasuke was admitted to the institute at the age of eight and one of the first patients that he had to treat. The boy that he first met was an extreme opposite of the twelve year old that sat before him a few minutes prior.

He used to be a timid boy with eyes so wide that it reflected every thought in his head. He was also stubborn and constantly begged to see his older brother or mother and rarely his father. On days where the children were to write to their guardians or sponsors, before sending the letters, each counselor had to read the content. In every letter, Sasuke always apologized to his family for being weak, worthless, for just being himself but for a young child, he never knew what he was saying all this with his words. Sasuke wrote three letters, only two came back in response in the first year.

Kakashi's first tactic was to build his patient's confidence and rid him of the feeling of inferiority. Sasuke cooperated at first. He became high spirited and determined to improve himself, but he remained silent about his past. He worked hard in hopes that he would be allowed to go back home each time he received his letters. Yet, as the years past, the letter stopped coming.

* * *

After the third year, Sasuke's manner and attitude changed. He seemed to flaunt his indifference to the people by being as independent as he could and doing as he pleased.There was no doubt in Kakashi's mind that Sasuke belonged in the school. Sasuke has shown a massive number of psychological damages and abnormal behavior.

Sasuke already received his tray of food once he entered the cafeteria. As he sat down at his isolated table, he was annoyed to hear the familiar breakfast clatter around him. He avoided the concerned glances of the doctors observing the interaction of each patient. He felt a great irritation at the doctor's constant presence and unspoken pleas for something to analyze. Sasuke found it unnecessary to give them the satisfaction of seeing something to put down in their studies. Therefore, the dark-haired boy just blocked everything around him, which made him miss the arrival of a new patient.

"Naruto, stop dragging your feet and walk." A man with a scar across of nose was pulling a pouting blonde boy towards the closest table. "Just sit here and don't cause trouble." Suddenly, the table rumbled making Sasuke look up from his food. Across the table sat the blonde boy resting his elbows on the table. His cerulean colored eyes held a rebellious sternness. As the kid called Naruto, Sasuke caught a glimpse of his wrist. A metal clasps forced Naruto's wrists together. To boot, he didn't notice before but there must be shackles on Naruto's feet because Sasuke could hear the chain scrapping the floor. Not overly concerned with the new occupant of his table, Sasuke continued eating until a pair of cuffed hands stole a piece of toast off his plate.

Keeping his voice low because he could feel the doctors watching the interaction between them, Sasuke asked, "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm eating, dumb ass." Naruto spoke with his mouth still chomping on the toast.

"I'm aware of that, idiot but it wasn't yours to eat." Sasuke didn't really care about the toast itself, it was great possibility he wasn't going to eat it but he couldn't allow someone to take what's his.

"Having you heard of sharing, you selfish jerk?"

"You should ask first, dimwit." The scrapping of Sasuke's chair pulling out singled that he was leaving.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Naruto brushed off what Sasuke said. Sasuke scoffed in disapproval of Naruto's personality. Before Sasuke departed the cafeteria, he has sworn to avoid any contact with fool that disturb his breakfast.

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AN: I've a bad habit of not finishing my fics so this probably going to a short story if I can force myself to write it. Thanks for reading. 


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